Meanwhile, Game of Thrones fans were given a special treat ahead of the show's fifth season returning to TV on April 12.

Author George RR Martin posted excerpts from the sixth book in the Song Of Ice And Fire series, which is titled Winds Of Winter..

Writing on his blog, he said he had wanted to release them earlier but "did not want it mistaken for an April Fool's joke".

The first paragraph of the excerpt reads: "She was reading her little lord a tale of the Winged Knight when Mya Stone came knocking on the door of his bedchamber, clad in boots and riding leathers and smelling strongly of the stable.

"Mya had straw in her hair and a scowl on her face. That scowl comes of having Mychel Redfort near, Alayne knew."

The character Alayne Stone is actually Sansa Stark living under the name Alayne.

As yet, the book has no official publication date, but the new series will begin on April 13.

The sisters: Tyene (played by Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), Nymeria (played by Jessica Henwick) and Obara Sand (played by Keisha Castle-Hughes) look like they'll be among those to provide the 'shocks' from the series.

Fans have already seen Nymeria, complete with whips, in the previous trailer.

Cast members enjoyed a royal setting for the world premiere for the show's fifth series.

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Cast members of the fantasy drama including Kit Harington, Gwendoline Christie, Sophie Turner and Alfie Allen attended the launch of the new season at the Tower of London in the capital, ahead of its debut on Sky Atlantic in April.

Hundreds of fans watched as fires burned around the tower, alongside a giant projection of a live stream featuring interviews with the cast and helicopters flew overhead.

Michael McElhatton, who plays Roose Bolton, teased this season could bring some shockers to fans of George R R Martin's books.

"The world has just got bigger and bigger and we are going to move into the world towards Dawn a lot more and introduce a lot of new characters there," he said.

"There's a lot of shocks particularly for the book readers. There are things that happen now that aren't in the books."

Dean-Charles Chapman, who portrays young king Tommen, agreed.

"(It's going to be) shocking. Tommen does get married but in the world of Game Of Thrones, things don't turn out quite right," he said.

"I don't even know what's going on now. It's so confusing. There are so many characters and so many story lines."

Alfie Allen, who plays Theon Greyjoy, said there will be "shocking scenes without a doubt".

He added: "I'd like to see how much farther they can push the sort of dark side of it as a show as a whole."

Allen said there is "maybe a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel" for his character.